Nanopillar ITO electrodes via argon plasma etching

Abstract

The authors demonstrate the formation of vertically aligned indium tin oxide (ITO) nanopillars by exposing planar ITO films to Ar plasma, the conditions of which determine the size, spacing, and aspect ratio of the pillars. Annealing in air and forming gas is used to recover and optimize the optical transmittance and electrical conductivity of the nanopillar films. The final product is an ITO film whose superior optical transmittance and strong electrical conductivity combine with its robust columnar morphology and processing scalability to make it suitable for use in highly absorbing organic solar cells.